>Hi everybody,
>
>I'm working with the existing application. The more I look at it, the more I don't understand.
>
>1. There are millions of public variables in all the places
>
>2. Almost each form tries to switch datasession using SET DATASESSION command
>
>3. There is lots of code in all the places (Init, Load, Activate, Show, valid of textboxes / gotfocus, etc.)
>
>4. The code uses SET FILTER command lots of times
>
>5. In one of the table we have about 20 or more indexes. About half of them use the exact same index expression, but different tag name.
>
>6. The application is based on the VPM framework
>
>7. The database is completely de-normalized / relations are based on names.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>No wonder this application behaves unpredictable. However, how I'm supposed to fix problems / bugs with it? If I try to change one little piece of code, I would not know what is affected - results of my change could be.
>
>BTW, when I ran this application in VPME and checked developer's info, I found the name of the developer. I searched VPM Newsgroup and found several of his questions there few years ago. The questions all seem to be OK.
>
>I'm just wondering how such applications can be written and more importantly - maintained later.

Sounds like the major state application I was sentenced to maintain for a year. The developer learned (I should say taught herself - nothing proper) about programming and databases as she hacked this thing into existence over 10 years.

The application has come to a complete standstill and is unmaintainable. The state of KS doesn't have the money to replace it.

I left and am working with a private agency that uses that application to communicate with the state, and they have contracted my company to write a replacement (ASP.NET/SQL2008) that they will then sell the state.